Fish-plate for rails.



W. G. RATH.

FISH PLATE FOR RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1912.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

Mommy an upright clamping port WILLIAM 0. RATE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

FISH-PLATE FOR RAILS.

Specification of Letters Tatent.

Patented 0615.21, 1913,

Application filed July 15, 1912. Serial No. 709,374.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. BATH, a citizen of the United States residing at Cincinnati. in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fish-Plates for Rails, of which the following is a specifics.-

My invention relates to self-locking fishpiates for rails.

The object of my invention is to provide fish-plates for rails which are constructed so that two fish-plates substantially identical in construction will interlock with each other upon and bind the meeting ends of the adjacent rails together without the use of bolts and nuts or other extraneous fastenings. I

My-invention consists of a fish-plate having rinterlodring lugs on the base thereof and 'ion at the side adapted'to engage the side of the rails, and recemes at each end of said fish-plate adapted to register with like recesses on a cooperating fish-plate when interlocked therewith, and an interlocking key to securely hold the fish-plate in interlocked po- My invention further consists in the construction. combination and arrangement-of parts as herein set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which serves to illustrate my invention: Figure 1 is eperspectiv'e'view showing part of the fish-plate mounted on a rail; Fig. 2 is a perspective View of my improved fish-plate; Fig. 3 is a cross-section on a smaller scale taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; 4 is a side elevation of my improved fish-plate;

and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the interlocking key.

In the embodiment of my invention, as illustrated, and which shows a preferred construction, 1 represents a stock rail of the ordinary type. I he fish-plates 2 are constructed with a base portion 3 upon which the base of the rail is adapted to rest. The fish-plates 2 are also providedwith vertical clamping portions 4 which are adapted to engage the side or web portion of the rail as shown in Fig. 1. These vertical clamping portions 4 are constructed to ooniorm to the thereof which are outline of the rail, having a suitable recess 5 for the admission of the base 6 of the rail. The vertical clamping portions 4 may be counter-sunk as shown at 7 to allow a better and more uniform engagement of the fishplete and the rail.

The base 3 of the fish-plate is provided with extending interlocking fingers or lugs 8. These interlocking fingers or lugs 8 which project from the base portion 3 have pnojyections 8 thereon extending at right ong-les therefrom thereby forming spaces 9 in the interlocking lugs 8. These spaces 9 are formed just the proper size for the admission of the angular extension 8 on the fishplate with which it is interlocked. Thuls (as shown in Fig. 3') when two fish-plates are placed together, the space between the interlooking lugs is great enough to admit the interlocking fingers 8 and then when the fish-plates are moved longitudinally in opposite directions toward each other, the angul-ar portions 8 on the fingers 8 enter the space '9, and thereby interlock the fish-plates together and prevent them from moving laterally, thereby clamping the rails together.

To prevent the fish-plates from moving longitudinally I provide recessed or cut away portions 11 and 12 at either end of the fish-plate. The cut away portion 12 has an extended lug 13 at the end thereof which is about half as thick as the thickness on the base 3 of the fish-plate, thereby leaving the upper half: of the recess without obstruction. The recess 11 at the other plate is not provided with an extension 13 so that when another fish-plate is placed along side as that shown in Fig. 2, the recess 12 on that fish-plate will register with the recess 11 as shown in Fig. L

The recesses 11 and 12 are provided with the tapering inclined sides 14 at the bottom long enough .to admit the interlocking key 15 shown in Fig.5. When the two fish-plates are placed together as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the interlocking key 15 is inserted into the recess 11 above the lug 13/ It is then pushed into the recess to allow It to fall into engagement with the inclined sides 14: Of the recesses 11 and 12. After the -key has thereby been placed in the recess 11, it is prevented from coming out end of the fishof engagement with the lug 13. When it is desired to remove the fish-plate, the key 15 must first be removed. In order to pro duce a more practical device for taking apart or dismountin I provide an extension 16 on the interloc ing key 15 which is adapted to fit adjacent the lug 13 on the fish-plate and thereby provide accessible means whereby the interlocking key 15 can be easily lifted up when it is desired to remove the same.

It is readily seen that my improved fishplate is reversible, as the same plate may be used for either side of the rail. It is also seen that the lugs of interlocking fingers 8 may be constructed as strong as desired, and will absolutely clamp the rail securely without the use of bolts and nuts or other fastenings.

A certain amount of play may be allowed in the recesses 11 and 12, so that the key 15 will enter the recess 11, although the fishplates due to the varying in thickness of the rail do not register absolutely. It will also be noted that the entire sides of the angular extension 8 of the interlocking lugs are inclined' so as to form an absolutely tight clamp for the rail when the fish-plates are driven together. The fish-plates are also provided with a suitable number of notches or recesses 17 to allow the same to be fastened to the ties and prevent them from sliding longitudinally along the rails.

My invention has the advantage over fishplates which are held in position by bolts and nuts of having no parts which will workloose or drop out of position and is, therefore, much more safe than prior constructions for the purpose.

Another advantage of my invention is that inasmuch as no holes are required in the rail or fish-plates, the same are much stronger and consequently are safer and more durable. In addition to this by dispensing with the holes I save the time and expense necessary to produce them.

An important advantage of my invention is that if a rail is broken requiring a new rail, or if it is desired to lay atemporary track, the ends of the rails can be easily and quickly locked together in fixed alinement without requiring any holes, or bolts or nuts or other extraneous fastening means for this purpose.

Another advantage is that the interlockingl fish-plates when secured together in inter ocked position upon the abutting ends of adjacent rails permits of the usual contraction and expansion of the rails.

Certain modifications in my invention may be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, and I do not, there fore, wish to be confined to the exact details shown.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A reversible fish-plate comprising. a base ortion and a vertical clamping portion, interlocking lugs extending from said base portion, an angular extension at the end of each interlockin lug having an inclined surface at one si e thereof, each base having a recess upon its inner edge between one end and the adjacent lug and each base having a recess upon its inner edge at its opposite end and provided with a lug, in combination with a cooperatin fish-plate of like construction, said plates eing adapted to engage the bottom and respective sides of the end portions of the abutting rails and to interlock with each other and with said rails to clamp and hold said rails in proper and secure alinement with each other without the use of bolts, and a key adapted to entereach of said recesses horizontally and be held therein by said lug, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A reversible fish-plate comprising a base portion and a vertical clamping portion, interlocking lugs extending from said base portion, an angular extension at the end of each interlocking lug having an inclined surface on the inner side thereof, each base having a recess upon its inner edge between one end and the adjacent lug and having the lower portion of its bottom inclined downwardly at an angle to the upper portion and each base having at its opposite end a similar recess with a lu at the end of the lower portion, in com ination with a cooperating fish-plate of like construction, said plates being adapted to engage the bottom and the respective sides of the end portions of the abutting rails and to interlock with each other and with said rails in proper and secure alinement with each other and a longitudinally wedgeshaped key adapted to be inserted horizontally into the recesses formed by the cooperating members and held therein by said lug, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

3. A reversible fish-plate comprising a base portion and a vertical clamping portion, interlocking lugs extending from said base portion, an angular extension at the end of each interlocking lug having an inclined surface on its inner side, each 'base having a recess upon its inner edge between one end and the adjacent lug and having the lower portion of its bottom inclined down-v wardly at an angle to the upper portion, and each base having at its opposite end a similar recess with a lug at the end of the lower portion, in combination with a cooperating fish-plate of like construction, said plates being adapted to engage the bottom and respeotive sides of the end portions of the abutting rails and to interlock with each cessible means wherelg said interlocking 10 other and with said rails to clamp and hold key can be easil lift up when it is desaid' rails in proper and secure alinement sired to remove t e key, su stantially' as set vsl'lith $111.61? othgr, ang a loggitudinal wedgeforth and for the purposes specified.

s ape ey a apte to e inserte orizontally into the recess formed by the coiiper- WILLIAM BATH ating members and held therein by said In Witnesses:

said key having an extension adapted to t JAMES N. RAMSEY,

adjacent said lug and thereby provide 110- Gomm GORDON. 

